The Weld County Sheriff's Office conducted an investigation. The city is not releasing the sheriff's office report, instead issuing a news release about the findings Friday.

At issue are allegations that tenants were not told in advance that they had a right to refuse entry by police and K-9 dogs that were accompanying housing authority staff, leading to accusations that Longmont police had participated in unconstitutional warrantless searches.

The Weld County sheriff's staff's independent investigation — conducted on behalf of the city — showed that Longmont police "policies, procedures, training and practices are all in place and appropriate," according to the city news release.

However, Longmont's Public Safety Department has initiated its own internal administrative review, the city said in its news release.

The city said that Longmont Public Safety Chief Mike Butler had already stated, prior to getting the Weld investigation report earlier this week, that "we regret what happened at The Suites and have already taken corrective actions to ensure that this never happens again."

Those actions, the city said, have included:

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• Reiterating and continuing "to clarify how and when our canines are used."

• Reinforcing and continuing "the process for documenting how and when consent is obtained."

• Reinforcing and continuing "the need for communication with supervisors as outlined in our procedures."

The Times-Call has filed a Colorado Open Records Act request for the Weld County report.

In an email, City Councilman Jeff Moore said Weld County "conducted a thorough investigation" but he didn't want to comment on specific details because of the confidentiality of the inquiry.

"While I am disappointed by the actions of our officers, corrective actions are already in place and if more are required I am confident in Mike Butler's ability to do the right thing," Moore wrote.

The city said in its news release that "it has always been the LPD's policy and practice, which has been supported with yearly training, that all our officers understand search and seizure, and as an agency, we would never condone a search without consent, a search warrant or an authorized exception to the warrant requirements."

The news release did not specify exactly which procedures used to establish tenants' consent for police entry into The Suites apartments had violated Longmont police standards.

As for the internal review that's underway, "there are legal constraints on what we can say and release," the city said, adding that that review "will be examined by a panel of Longmont residents on Longmont's citizen review panel, among others.

"After we have completed our process, we will take any additional corrective actions, if necessary, in whatever form (is) most appropriate."

Several other City Council members on Friday said they'd read the Weld County Sheriff's Office report, but they declined to comment on what it contained because of its confidentiality.

The Suites is pictured in Longmont in June. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)

"It is about 40 pages long and contains extensive interviews with the residents of the Suites, with managers of the Suites and with officers from the Longmont Police Department," Councilwoman Polly Christensen said in an email.

"Because the Longmont Police Dept. has launched its own internal investigation that will be reviewed by a citizen panel, I am unable to comment any further," Christensen said, adding that "all of us are always committed to protecting both the safety and rights of all residents of Longmont."

Councilwoman Bonnie Finley said council members had to go to the Civic Center to read the report, which she said was marked "confidential," rather than having it emailed to them. She said they were not allowed to make copies.

"I have read it," said Councilman Gabe Santos, who — like Christensen and Finley — declined to elaborate on its contents.

Herrera, who has been conducting an internal investigation for the housing authority board — one he's expecting to present to the board on Tuesday and that may be followed by a public statement or news release from that agency — said seeing the Weld County Sheriff's Office report "would help me give a more complete report" to the housing authority.

However, he added that the housing authority board, staff and employees have "different roles and responsibilities" than Longmont police.

"I don't expect that the same criteria for evaluating performance" by police "could be applied" to the housing authority officials and staff, Herrera said.

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